Discovering Lily
by SouthernBlossom
Summary: Sequel to About A Girl. Lily Potter is preparing to start her first year at Hogwarts. As she settles into her home away from home, she'll also begin to really explore her talent (and power) and discover the truth about her history, and come to realize she might not be as safe as she thought. AU. Rated T for CP/spanking/discipline of minors in some chapters.
1. A Jumble of Feelings

A Jumble of Feelings

The air blew through her hair as she zoomed around the expansive backyard. She wanted to try a few new moves she'd heard about from her Uncle Ron, but Ginny was down on the ground watching her and had given Lily strict orders to play it safe.

In two months, flying had solidified as Lily's favorite activity – to the point that she avoided mischief that she worried would result in another restriction from her broom. Indeed, it was the only reason she 'played it safe' now as her mother watched on.

Lily found it odd that her mom would be overprotective about her flying when she'd been a quidditch player while at Hogwarts. Ginny had even told Lily about the seven years she played for the Holyhead Harpies. Harry was more laid back, and tended to allow Lily to be more adventurous on her broom. She'd heard all about his time on the Gryffindor quidditch team, too. "The youngest seeker in a century," Ron had told her on more than one occasion. He loved to talk about the adventures they'd had at Hogwarts.

Anyway, as many times as Harry had been hurt or almost hurt playing quidditch, Lily had fully expected Harry to be the stricter one when it came to flying.

"Lily, you're up too high," Ginny called out, interrupting the girl's thoughts.

Lily glanced down and huffed in frustration. "Muuuuuum!" came a whine. "I'm barely off the ground!"

"You're a good fifty feet in the air," Ginny countered. "Come down so you aren't flying higher than the house."

"Why? It's not like any muggles can see me…"

"That isn't the point. I asked you to come down a bit, and you need to mind me."

"Dad would let me fly higher," she pouted, aware of how petulant she was being.

Ginny's eyes narrowed, and Lily realized too late that she'd gone too far. "Ground. Now." The young mother pointed to a patch of grass in front of her.

"But Mum…"

"Now, Lily."

Sighing, Lily lowered the broom until her feet were firmly on the ground. She dismounted and carried the broom in one hand as she shuffled over to her mother. "Mum, I'm sorry…"

"Apology accepted," Ginny replied. "Go put your broom away. You may fly again tomorrow after I've had a chance to talk to your father."

Lily realized she should have kept her mouth shut about her dad's leniency toward flying. "You don't need to do that, Mum," she said quickly. "I'll stay closer to the ground."

She thought she saw a hint of a grin on Ginny's face. "I have no doubt your father lets you fly like a daredevil. You haven't even started at Hogwarts; you have no business flying like that. Once you've begun flying lessons at school, then you can fly more adventurously at home."

"What if I make it on the house quidditch team?" Lily knew she wouldn't be allowed to take her broom to Hogwarts her first year – Harry and Ginny had already explained that much – but if she made it on the house team before flying lessons were completed, they'd have to let her do more on a broom.

"First years don't typically make it on the house teams," Ginny reminded her daughter.

"Dad did."

"Your father was a natural when it comes to flying, love."

Lily frowned slightly. "Dad says I'm a natural, too."

Ginny kissed her daughter's forehead and offered a smile. "You are. If you want to try out for the house team at Hogwarts, your dad and I will support you 100%. I just don't want you to be disappointed if you don't make the team this year." Ginny put an arm around Lily and guided her into the house. "Put your broom away and go wash up. Your aunt, uncle, and cousins are coming for dinner in an hour, and you're all dirty from flying."

"Which ones?" Lily asked as she stored her broom in the closet. With her mother having so many siblings, there were several possibilities.

"Your Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron."

Lily liked Hermione and Ron, but Rosie and Hugo were so much younger than she was. It wasn't the same as when she and Maddy got together. Even Emme and Sebastien were easier to relate to. It wasn't that she didn't like little kids. Lily did like her little cousins, but she hadn't spent much time around younger children growing up. Rosie liked to be entertained and Hugo got into _everything_, and it was quite exhausting when anyone asked her to keep an eye on them, even for a moment or two.

Hermione was easily the more serious of the two, but Lily got along with her splendidly. It seemed to please Hermione that Lily loved to read. Of course, Lily felt a special connection to Hermione since the woman had been one of the people (along with Remus) to retrieve her from Florida back in the late spring.

Ron was fun. Despite being a dad, he was goofy and told the best stories about her parents when they were younger. The way Ron told it, he, Hermione, and Harry had had all sorts of grand adventures during their years at Hogwarts. Flying cars, sorcerers' stones, fighting off Voldemort time and time again…

"I'm not that dirty," she argued as she tried to run a hand through her tangled, windblown hair.

"Bath and clean clothes, please," Ginny insisted. "Your father will be home soon."

Lily grumbled softly, but headed up to her room to grab some fresh clothes before entering the bathroom.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Lily emerged from the bathroom, clean and presentable. Her dark red hair cascaded down her back in loose curls – soft, shiny, and smelling of cherries and almonds.

She had changed into a summer dress. Lily knew the adults would be wearing robes, but apparently it was normal for magical kids to wear muggle clothing when they weren't at Hogwarts. In fact, she could've worn jeans and a t-shirt, but Lily liked wearing skirts and dresses. She was a bit of a girly-girl in that respect.

Descending the stairs, she found Ginny preparing dinner in the kitchen. _Monitoring_ dinner would have been more accurate, since the kitchen utensils were moving of their own accord. It amazed Lily to watch her mother prepare meals without getting a single finger dirty. According to Harry, Ginny had learned her cooking skills from Grandma Weasley.

Glancing over her shoulder, Ginny offered her daughter a warm smile. "You look lovely, Lily. Would you please set the table?"

Lily collected plates from the cupboard and carried them into the dining room. "Is Dad home yet?"

"He'll be here any moment."

As if on cue, the fire roared from the floo in the next room and moments later, Harry entered the kitchen. He greeted Ginny with a kiss and smiled as Lily came back into the room.

"Hi, Dad!" she greeted, giving him a hug as her mother returned to her meal preparations.

"Hello, love," he replied as he kissed the top of her head. "How was your day?"

"Good." She let go of him and stepped back so she could see his face. "I flew for a little bit."

He chuckled. "Did you, now? Somehow that doesn't surprise me. Have you had your fill of flying for today, then? I half expected to come home to find you still out on your broom."

"I wanted to, but Mum made me get off. She said I was flying too high, and that she needed to talk to you." Just then, a thought occurred to Lily. "Hey, do you think you and Mum could talk right now so I could fly some more after dinner?"

Ginny turned from the stove at once. "Lily, I already told you that you may fly again tomorrow," she reminded the eleven-year-old in a firm tone. "You're finished flying for tonight."

She hadn't expected her idea to be shot down so quickly, or at all, really. "But Mum, you said that I had to wait until after you and Dad talked. If you two talk right now, then there's no reason why I couldn't go back out on my broom tonight!" It made sense, and it was what Ginny had wanted in the first place, right? To talk to Harry about flying rules?

"The answer is no, Lily."

Lily, who had felt quite calm before, found herself suddenly frustrated. "But that's not _fair_!" Lily stomped her foot hard on the ground.

"Lily Luna, that is quite enough."

"You aren't being fair!" she shouted, ignoring the warning in her mother's voice. She knew she shouldn't, that Ginny would only be displeased with such an outburst, but she couldn't help herself. It just wasn't fair.

Ginny's eyes narrowed, and Lily wondered if she'd pushed her mother too far, but before the woman could open her mouth a calm voice said from behind Lily, "Go up to your room, please."

She spun around, still frustrated in spite of his lack of ire. "But Dad..."

"Now, Lily," he said in the same voice.

Beyond irritated and filled with a fire she couldn't explain, Lily screamed and stomped through the house, up the stairs and into her room, where she proceeded to slam her door with gusto.

Ginny made to follow her, but Harry placed a hand on her shoulder, halting her movement. "Allow me," he told his wife. When she nodded in agreement, he turned and followed his daughter's path up to her room.

He found her face down on her bed. The rapid rise and fall of her back indicated she was still worked up. "Sit up, please," Harry told her in that calm voice, sitting near her feet. A simple wave of his wand closed the door. Another flick ensured their conversation would not be overheard. Seconds passed, but Lily didn't make any move to follow the directions. Reaching over, Harry landed a sharp smack on her upturned bottom. Ignoring Lily's indignant shriek, he said once again, "Sit up, please."

This time, the girl slowly twisted and turned until she was seated near the head of the bed. She stared at her father with watery eyes, worried for the first time that night that she might have earned herself more than a single smack.

"You have two choices, Lily," Harry continued once he knew he had her undivided attention. "You can calm yourself out of this fit, or you and I can have a discussion about respect."

"But Mum's not being fair," Lily protested, her voice losing a bit of steam. It was hard to be irate with her father when he wasn't raising his voice or showing any hint of frustration himself. "I wasn't doing anything on my broom that you don't let me do when you're watching me."

"Just because I'm more comfortable with letting you test out moves on your broom doesn't mean your mother shares that level of comfort, Lily. It's more than fair for her and I to come to an agreement of sorts regarding broom rules before you go flying again."

"But if you talked about it now, then technically I could go tonight…"

"Except your mum said no. 'No' does not mean maybe, it means no. Arguing with your mum about it won't change that no into a yes, but it could lose you flying privileges for a bit."

And just like that, the fury returned. She didn't know what was going on with her, or why she felt so angry and frustrated, especially when Harry was being so calm, and she knew it wouldn't end well for her but she couldn't help herself. She picked up one of her pillows and sent it hurling across the room with a scream.

Wordlessly Harry reached over and grasped Lily's hand, pulling her off the bed. He wasted no time in settling her across his lap, still not speaking. When he lifted the skirt of her dress out of the way, Lily sobered up quickly.

"No, Dad, don't!" she exclaimed quickly, trying to push herself up. "I'm sorry, I'll calm down now."

Harry responded by wrapping his arm snugly around her waist and letting his hand fall sharply upon her bottom.

"Ow! Dad, please stop…"

He let his hand do the talking. Lily had been disrespectful and was throwing a tantrum worthy of a toddler, but Harry also knew that she had a lot of pent up frustration. Whether it was a natural part of her adolescence or something else that was bothering her, he wasn't sure, but if he didn't get her to let it out it would just grow until it exploded. They'd already gone through weeks in the beginning of Lily's behavior spiraling out of control. Harry wasn't about to allow that to happen again if he could help it. Speaking to her calmly and rationally hadn't worked, so he figured maybe this would.

It was hard, listening to the sniffles that had begun as he continued to pepper her bottom with moderately stinging smacks. He wasn't spanking her hard by any stretch of the imagination, but she'd be crying soon nonetheless, and it tore at his heart, knowing he was the one who would cause her tears. The only proper smacking she'd received since coming to Serenity House had been the morning after she'd ran away and Ginny had been the one to handle that punishment. It was Harry's first time giving the girl an actual spanking, and he absolutely hated the task.

He hadn't kept count of how many smacks he'd doled out, but he could tell even through her panties that her bottom was a respectable shade of pink. The eleven-year-old had worn herself out, and had become still across his lap other than the shaking of her torso from her sobs. Harry righted her dress before moving his hand to rub gentle circles on her back. He didn't say anything then, either. He wanted to give her a chance to calm down before trying to talk to her again.

It took a few minutes before Lily's sobs had subsided and she was just sniffling with the occasional hiccup. Only then did he lift her up and settle her on his lap, pulling her to his chest in a comforting hug. Lily clung to him like her life depended on it, and they sat that way for several more minutes. Harry had begun to suspect that Lily had fallen asleep when he heard a soft, "I'm sorry," muffled in his chest. He kissed the top of her head and shifted her just enough so that he could see her face.

"Calm now?" he asked her gently.

Lily nodded. "I'm sorry," she repeated, looking positively ashamed over her behavior.

"I know you are, love. All is forgiven. Would you like to talk about why you were so upset? I know you don't feel that your mum is being fair, but I can tell it was something more than that. It isn't like you to throw an all out temper tantrum."

His voice was soft, but she blushed profusely at the memory. "I don't know," Lily murmured, feeling an overwhelming amount of embarrassment. "I just felt so angry… and I knew that you and Mum would be cross with me and that I'd be in trouble but part of me didn't care. I really am sorry!"

"I know. There's no more need for apologies, other than the one you owe your mother. I know you aren't going to be happy about this, either, but your broom is staying on the ground for the next two days."

Harry expected Lily to be at least a little angry. He expected some sort of resistance on her part.

He didn't expect for her to burst into tears and bury her face in his robes.

"Oh, love…" Harry wrapped his arms back around her and held her close. He rocked his body gently from side to side, trying to soothe her. Her behavior was absolutely baffling him. Something else must be going on, he knew it with certainty, but what that something was, he couldn't say. She wasn't offering up any hints, either.

He ran his fingers through her hair. "Please talk to me, Lily. I don't know what's going on, and I can't help you unless you tell me."

She sobbed out a response, but as her face was still buried in his robes it came out muffled and garbled and Harry couldn't make out a single word. "All right, all right," he soothed, rubbing her back. "Calm down first, and then you can tell me."

It took several minutes, but the rocking and back rubs and soothing murmurs eventually calmed Lily. Sniffling, she turned her head to the side and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She felt her dad press a kiss to the top of her head, and she sniffled again, but the tears remained at bay.

"Now, what is going on?"

She wouldn't look at him, or even lift her head from his chest, but at least he could hear her this time. "I made you and Mum angry, and I made a mess of things all because I was angry and I don't even know why I was angry and now I can't fly for two days and flying is the one thing that helps me feel better when I start to get frustrated," she rushed out in one long sentence.

Harry was no closer to understanding why Lily had felt so angry, but at least now he understood the latest set of tears. "Sit up and look at me, Lily, all right?" He waited patiently for his daughter to let go and straighten up enough that he could see her face. "I'm not angry. I was never angry. Your mother wasn't angry, either. She was frustrated that you were arguing with her over something she'd already said 'no' about, but I know she's not cross with you." He waited a moment, letting that message sink in. "Now, about your feelings of frustration and anger… have you been feeling that way often?"

Lily shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes. Flying makes me feel better. The wind blowing in my face calms me down."

Her father smiled. "I understand exactly what you're saying. Flying does that for me too. I want you to try something, though, the next time you begin to feel frustrated or angry. I want you to close your eyes and take ten deep breaths. Can you do that?"

"I'll try. What if it doesn't work?"

"Then you come tell me, or you tell your mother, and we'll help you figure something out."

Lily nodded. "Okay. Dad?"

"Yes, love?"

"I don't want to go back downstairs. Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron will be here by now, and then I'll have to apologize to Mum in front of everyone and they'll all know how horribly I behaved."

"Hmm. How about if I let you rest up here for a few minutes, and see if your mother will come up here so you can have some privacy. Would that be better?" Lily nodded at once. "All right, then," Harry agreed, nudging the girl off his lap. "Just relax, and your mum will be up in a moment." He kissed her forehead once more before heading down to the kitchen.

As Lily had predicted, Hermione and Ron were already there, but their two young children were nowhere in sight. Harry greeted his best friends with a hug each. "Where are the kids?"

"Mum's watching them for the evening," Ron said with a grin. "Remus and Tonks are taking Teddy and Maddy to the muggle cinema tonight, and they thought Lily might enjoy going. Do you think she'd be interested?"

"I'm sure she would. Gin, why don't you go ask Lily if she'd like to go? I'll keep an eye on dinner for you."

Normally Ginny would've questioned why they didn't just call Lily downstairs, but the couple shared a look and Ginny understood at once. She smiled and nodded. "Sure. Ron, Hermione, I'll be right back."

When she entered Lily's room seconds half a minute later, her heart broke at the mess that was her daughter. The child's hair was mussed, her face red and splotchy, her eyes puffy from crying. Ginny held open her arms, and within seconds Lily had latched onto her, arms wrapped tight around Ginny's torso and face pressed to her chest. Lily had begun to cry again, but Ginny could still make out her muffled apologies.

Reaching for her wand, Ginny closed the door behind them, casting a silencing charm for good measure, and then summoned the chair from the desk. A flick transfigured the straight-back chair into a comfortable-looking rocking chair. She figured she'd be sitting with Lily for a bit, and although the girl was nearly a teenager, rocking seemed like the best way to calm her. Once she'd safely tucked away her wand, Ginny guided Lily over to the chair and sat, pulling the eleven-year-old onto her lap.

"It's all right now, darling," she murmured, rocking back and forth slowly, her arms holding Lily tight. It pleased her immensely that Lily hadn't pulled away or protested that she was too old to sit on her mother's lap. Ginny would regret not knowing her daughter during Lily's first decade of life for the rest of _her_ life, but perhaps she could make up for some of it before the girl grew too old to be coddled by her mother.

"I'm sorry…" Lily sobbed more clearly, now that her face wasn't completely covered by Ginny's robes.

"I know you are, Lily. There's no need for more apologies, all right? Just relax. Take some deep breaths now." She was a bit baffled by Lily's tears. She'd hoped that the girl would have at least calmed down from her previous outburst, but she hadn't expected Lily to look like she'd been crying for a good hour, or to still be crying for that matter. Honestly, she hadn't even thought that Harry had done anything other than talk to Lily about her temper.

"I… I d-don't want you t-t-to be c-c-cross with me…"

"I'm not in the least," promised Ginny. "I just want you to calm down. You'll make yourself sick. Deep breaths, and once you're calm we can talk as much as you'd like."

Ginny began to hum softly as she rocked them both. It was a tune her own mother had sung to her when she was young. Ginny knew she didn't have any sort of a singing voice, but neither had Molly Weasley, and Ginny knew from experience that it didn't matter to a child whether or not their parent was singing in tune. It was the only other thing she could think of to calm Lily, aside from a calming draught, and she was determined to help her child without having to resort to a potion.

Fortunately for Ginny, Lily began to relax. The sobs slowed and quieted, and Lily's hitched breathing transformed into slow, deep breaths. Ginny knew her daughter was still awake, though she wouldn't have blamed her for falling asleep after having gotten so worked up in the first place. However, she much preferred Lily awake so that they could try to sort out whatever was bothering her.

She stroked her daughter's red hair, marveling over how much Lily resembled her paternal grandmother. Ginny had only seen Lily Evans in a few old photographs, but the muggle-born witch had been a natural beauty, more so than Ginny in her own opinion. She didn't think herself unattractive by any stretch of the imagination, but Ginny was secretly glad that Lily took after her father's side more than her mother's.

"What's bothering you, Lily?" Ginny asked her now quiet daughter.

Lily shrugged her shoulders. She'd already talked to Harry about her feelings over losing her broom for two days, but other than that she couldn't say why she'd been feeling frustrated or why she'd felt the need to cry so much since coming to her room. "I don't know."

"Come now, I'm sure you do," disagreed Ginny. "I can understand your disappointment over not being able again today, but that can't be all. You wouldn't be this upset over that alone, especially since you'll be able to fly again tomorrow."

The eleven-year-old shook her head. "Dad said I'm not allowed to fly for the next two days."

"Did he?" Ginny had to hide her surprise. "Even so, there must be something else."

Lily felt her cheeks burn even though she was sure her mother couldn't see her face. "He also spanked me."

Whatever Ginny had expected Lily to say, it hadn't been that. "Your father was rather firm with you, wasn't he? Is that why you're so upset?"

She thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "No, not really. I know why he did it. I wouldn't stop throwing a fit, even though I knew I needed to calm down and speak rationally. He didn't yell, either. He was talking calmly, just like you are now."

"What's going on then, love?"

"I don't know."

Ginny took a deep breath. "All right. Well, I want to make sure you know that you can talk to me any time. It doesn't matter if it's the middle of the night, or if you think I'm cross. If you need to talk about something, you let me know, and I'll be there to listen."

Lily nodded. "Okay."

"Now, your aunt and uncle are here, but your cousins are staying with your grandmother. Remus and Tonks are taking Teddy and Maddy to the cinema tonight, and would love it if you joined them. Are you interested?"

Part of her really wanted to go, but she knew she was a mess and she would feel dreadfully embarrassed if they saw her and realized she'd been crying or that she'd gotten into trouble. "They'll know I've been crying."

The older witch smiled. "They'll know nothing of the sort. We'll get you cleaned up and no one will know that you've been upset. Would you like to go with them?"

Lily moved back just enough to gauge her mother's expression. "You're sure I'm not in any more trouble for how I acted?"

"Lily, listen to me. You threw a fit worthy of a toddler, and that's certainly not fitting or acceptable behavior for a young lady about to start her education at Hogwarts, but your father already dealt with it, and even if he hadn't I wouldn't place any further restrictions on you. You've already lost flying privileges for a few days. That's consequence enough. It's over and done with now – clean slate and all. So, it's up to you whether or not you want to go with them tonight. You're welcome to stay here with us, if you'd like, but you'd be the only child and I wouldn't want you to be bored."

"I'd like to go," admitted Lily. Another part of her wanted to stay in for the night, but she knew she'd be bored, especially with her parents spending time with her aunt and uncle, so she figured she'd be more likely to find entertainment with her cousin and friend.

"Well, then let's get you freshened up so we can let them know. I believe it's their first time at a muggle cinema, so you'll be able to tell them all about it!"

* * *

"Dad, we don't really care about books. Could we please do a bit of looking around? Uncle George said they've got some new products at the joke shop."

Bill regarded his eldest child with an amused expression. It was nearly a week later, and the trio had made it through being fitted for school robes and purchasing first year potions kits before they'd grown tired of shopping. He couldn't say he blamed them. "I don't recall being that interested in buying books before my first year at Hogwarts, either." He turned to the other adults. "What do you think? We certainly don't need their presence to purchase their school books. Should we let them roam around a bit?"

"We're all right with it," Tonks agreed, sharing a look with Remus. "Ginny? Harry? What do you think?"

Ginny shook her head. "I don't know."

"Muuuummm…" groaned Lily. "Come on...!"

Ginny willed herself to remain calm. She didn't condone Lily's whining, but if she called her out on it Lily would tune out any sort of reasoning. "You've seen the attention your father has attracted," she pointed out rationally, "and that you yourself have attracted."

"Not one person has mentioned Grandma Potter," argued the eleven-year-old. "The only reason I've attracted attention is because no one knew that the Chosen One was a father. It's not my fault Dad's a celebrity, and it's not fair to hold it against me."

Harry wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulders, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "She has a point, love."

Huffing, Ginny leveled a glare at her husband. "You know it's only a matter of time before we run into someone who knew your mother. Then what?"

He couldn't deny her reasoning. Sooner or later, they _would_ run into someone from his parents' past, but trying to keep Lily with them the entire trip wouldn't turn out well for any of them and he knew that, too. "I think they'll be less likely to notice if she's not with us. The three of them should be safe for a half hour or so at the shop. We can purchase their books and then meet them there."

Ginny frowned, but Harry could see he'd gotten through to her. "Straight to the joke shop then and nowhere else. Do you understand me, Lily Luna?"

Lily wanted to scowl over the use of her middle name, but she was sure Ginny would use that as an excuse to keep her close. She wanted so badly to go to the joke shop with her cousin and friend, and she knew that eleven was more than enough to go off with friends without parents in tow for at least an hour or two. "I understand, Mum. I won't go anywhere else."

"Off you go then, before I change my mind," Ginny told her. "And if you disobey me…"

The eleven-year-old grabbed Maddy's hand with her right hand and Teddy's hand with her left. "I know, I know. I won't sit for a week. I love you, Mum, Dad. See you in a few…" Before Ginny could say anything else, she tugged her friends along toward her uncles' joke shop.


	2. Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley

Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was crowded with Hogwarts students looking to purchase a few fun items before the start of term. The trio took care not to step on anyone's toes or bump into anyone as they entered the shop. It would definitely be harder to browse with the number of people there, but on the plus side, it would make it much less likely that any of them would stand out in the crowd.

Lily loved her uncles' store. There was so much to look at, even if her parents would never let her purchase half of the products sold there. Plus, there was always the chance she'd see one of those uncles.

"I want to get a new Extendable Ear and a Skiving Snackbox… maybe a Daydream Charm, too," Maddy announced. "I've got a little bit of pocket money, and I figure I can hide them in my luggage."

Teddy laughed. "We haven't even started and you're already looking for ways to skive off class?"

"You never know," she said with a shrug. "If Professor Binns is still teaching History of Magic, I'll definitely need it! I know your parents gave you something to spend. Are you going to buy anything here?"

The boy glanced at the shelves. "I thought I might get a quill. A self-inking quill would be nice, don't you think?"

"I think you need to take a walk on the wild side, Teddy. There are far more interesting things here than self-inking quills!"

Maddy led the way around the shop. Teddy was content to follow, and Lily really didn't feel the need or desire to lead the way. She was happy just being with her cousin and friend, getting to talk to them in a way she never could with their parents around.

They were looking at a shelf of Skiving Snackboxes when someone bumped into the back of Maddy, hard, who in turn accidentally bumped into Lily and Teddy. The blonde spun around, a frown on her face. "Watch where you're going."

A dark haired boy about their age turned, a haughty expression on his face. "Perhaps you should watch where you're standing."

Maddy placed her hands on her hips, her stance and expression bearing a remarkable resemblance to Molly Weasley. "_We_ should watch where we're _standing_? Just who do you think you are?"

"Blaine Macnair," the boy answered importantly, as if his name alone should impress them. "And you are…?"

"Madeleine Weasley," she replied, not using her nickname for once. She didn't prefer to be called Madeleine, under any circumstance, but at the same time, she didn't want _him_ to call her 'Maddy.'

Blaine snickered. "A Weasley? How unfortunate for you. Where is your red hair and hand-me-down rags?" Maddy saw red, but she refrained from saying anything. "I don't suppose the two of you are _Weasleys_, too?" He gestured to Lily and Teddy.

"Teddy Lupin," Teddy said quietly.

"That's worse than being a Weasley," Blaine told him, his voice smug. He turned to Lily. "What about you?"

Lily detested this boy already. Maddy had told her before that some wizards thought themselves better than others, but until that point Lily hadn't met one who did. If he was going to be at Hogwarts, as well, she would have to make it a point to avoid him as much as possible.

"My name is Lily," she told him, trying to keep the distaste out of her voice. "Lily Potter."

She watched in surprise as Blaine stood still, his jaw slacking just a bit. The silence (and shock) didn't last long though, and she watched him snap his mouth closed and shake his head. "I'm sure Potter is a dreadfully common Muggle name," he said dismissively. "Your accent sounds rather American, anyway."

Lily had suspected that her parents (her mother in particular) were prone to exaggeration, but it began to occur to her that perhaps the Potter name carried more weight than she'd realized. She knew she'd probably regret it later, especially if it drew too much attention to them, but the little prat (she'd learned the slang term from Maddy and Teddy) thought far too highly of himself to pass up the opportunity. "My parents aren't Muggles, not that it really matters, and they are British."

"Of course it matters, you silly, ridiculous girl. You obviously know nothing. My father…"

Blaine trailed off as a man with flaming red hair and wearing shockingly orange robes approached.

"Maddy, Lily, Teddy… So glad to see you here today!"

The trio spun around as identical grins spread across their faces. "Hi, Uncle George!" Lily greeted him.

"I figured you'd be running up and down Diagon Alley, collecting your supplies for school. Where are your parents?"

"Buying books," Maddy chimed in. "We really don't need to be there for that. We'll spend enough time reading them at Hogwarts."

"Who is your friend here?" George asked curiously.

Maddy made a sour face. "He's no friend of ours, Uncle George."

Lily glanced back and saw Blaine turn his nose in the air and stalk off.

"You know I'm not one for lecturing, Maddy, but that wasn't polite. Your parents would be disappointed to see you speaking like that about someone, especially while that person could hear you."

"Uncle George, he was a prat," Lily explained. "He was really stuck up, and said some mean things about Maddy and Teddy."

"Best not let _your_ parents hear you talk like that, Lily," George said pointedly. He gave them a serious look for a moment before breaking out a smile. "So, was there anything you three were looking for today?"

If Lily had been worried before, she wasn't now. She knew George wouldn't tattle on her to her mother just for using such language. "Extendable Ears, Skiving Snackboxes, and quills," she answered for her friends.

"Ah. All good choices, though if your mother asks, Lily, I never said such a thing." George winked. "By now I'm sure Maddy knows where everything is here, so I'll leave you three to it. Zora will ring you up when you're ready. Let her know you'd like the Weasley discount. I'd love to stay and chat, but I have some business to attend to. Enjoy the rest of your day!"

"Thank you, Uncle George!" they chorused.

The trio watched George disappear into a sea of robes before Maddy turned back to the shelf and grabbed two Skiving Snackboxes. At her friends' questioning glances, she grinned. "The Weasley discount is half off. I might as well get two!"

* * *

He stood in the Headmistress' Office for the first time in ten years. It had been a surprise to find his presence requested by the current headmistress, even more so when the headmistress declined to give a reason with that request.

His midnight robes hung from his lean frame, much like his shoulder length black hair hung limp from his head. While he didn't give the appearance of having aged over the past decade, he'd always had the appearance of being older than his actual years.

Despite his appearance and the headmistress' naturally stern nature, the woman almost seemed _happy_ to see him.

"Minerva," the man greeted with a curt nod.

"Severus," McGonagall replied with a rare hint of a smile. "Thank you for coming."

"You said it was a matter of great importance that could not be discussed through owl post," he reminded her.

"It is." She gestured to the chairs opposite her desk. "Please, have a seat and I'll explain."

Severus Snape did not care to sit, but he held a great deal of respect for Minerva McGonagall (though he'd never dare admit it if asked), so he lowered himself onto the chair with an air of pride.

"Your career as a potions master has blossomed," McGonagall observed. "You've made quite a name for yourself outside of Hogwarts."

"I doubt you summoned me here to discuss my accomplishments."

"Well, I want you to know that I understand what you _have_ accomplished," she said, "because I'm asking you to do something I know to be far less lucrative than working as a private potions master."

"What might that be?"

"I am in need of a Potions teacher and Head of Slytherin House for the upcoming term."

"Surely you have plenty of qualified applicants for the position," he reasoned.

"None as qualified as you," came her reply.

"I find that difficult to believe."

"I cannot match what you make privately," McGonagall recognized, "but I can double what you made the last time you taught."

Severus studied the elderly witch. She had one hell of a poker face, and yet Severus knew something was amiss. "Perhaps if you shared the real reason you are offering me the position…" he suggested.

It was her turn to study him. She watched him closely, noticing no outward sign of discomfort due to her silence. She wouldn't have expected an outward reaction, though. Minerva McGonagall had known for decades just how well Severus could mask his thoughts and emotions. "I need someone with your unique abilities and experience. I will have a first year student this upcoming term that will require an uncommon level of security. You were an integral part of keeping Harry Potter safe while he was at Hogwarts."

"The Dark Lord has been gone for over ten years." After all that time, Snape still refused to call the infamous dark wizard 'Voldemort' like many others on the side of light, or 'Tom Riddle' such as Dumbledore had. At the same time, saying 'He Who Must Not Be Named' was a mouthful and a waste of Snape's time. Besides, old habits died hard. "He was the reason Potter needed protection in the first place."

"Voldemort might be gone, but those who supported him live on and pose a threat to this student if they discover the truth about her origins."

"You will have to elaborate, Minerva, if you wish for me to consider your offer."

McGonagall leaned forward and folded her hands on her desk. "What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room. It is imperative that you agree to this before I divulge any more information."

The man nodded. "You have my word."

"Very well. Eleven years ago, a baby girl was born to Ginny Weasley. Voldemort was still very much at large and a threat and Ginny made the difficult decision to give the baby up. She took her to a church overseas and asked one of the nuns to find her a home. I discovered the existence of this baby a year after her birth, but no one could locate her once the war had ended. A few months ago I sent Remus Lupin and Hermione Granger-Weasley to the States to find the girl and bring her back to the UK. She has since been reunited with her parents and is due to start her Hogwarts education this term."

"I am not denying the fact that Ginny Weasley is a powerful witch, but you have not explained why her mother thought it best to give her up or why the child needs extra protection."

"I wasn't finished," McGonagall said pointedly, to which Snape arched an eyebrow. "Lily isn't only Ginny's daughter. She's also Harry Potter's daughter."

A million thoughts swirled around in Snape's head. Snide thoughts about the Chosen One fathering a child out of wedlock made themselves known. He briefly wondered why Potter had let Miss Weasley give up her child in the first place. Then there was the child's name. It figured that Potter had named his daughter Lily, he thought, and Snape felt a twinge of sadness over the love he'd lost so many years ago.

"Harry didn't know of Lily's existence until after the war," McGonagall continued, as if reading Snape's mind though he knew she wasn't a skilled enough legilimens to do so. "However, Ginny was very wise to hide the existence of her daughter. Lily is an exceptionally gifted witch already, and I suspect it has to do with her conception. It is that reason that I fear most for her safety."

"Explain."

"Lily was conceived while Voldemort was still alive, while Potter was still an unintended horcrux. While it's impossible for a soul, even a fragment such as that one, to travel from one person to another through conception, Lily might have inherited some of Voldemort's powers. Now, you and I both know that powers themselves are neither good nor bad, and that a witch or wizard can choose which way to use them, but there are wizards out there – wizards who once followed Voldemort – who would like nothing more than to bring him back to power. It isn't possible, of course, but imagine what could happen if they discover there's a witch who has some of Voldemort's powers. They could try to lure her to the dark side, and if they were to fail, I fear they might look to kill her to prevent such a concentration of good magic."

"She hasn't begun yet at Hogwarts," Snape pointed out. "Surely she couldn't be that powerful already."

"She can perform wandless magic, Severus," pressed McGonagall. "I'm not talking about accidental magic, either. Lily has mastered enough control of her magic to will things to happen when she wants. According to Remus, Hermione, and Bill Weasley, she's never done anything hurtful or dark with her magic, but have you ever seen an untrained witch who could perform wandless magic?"

"I have not," he admitted. "I do see how the child might require protection, but surely the security at Hogwarts would be more than adequate to keep her safe."

"Lily is a bit headstrong, and I fear prone to unintentional mischief much like her father. You are the only one I know who could keep such a keen eye on her. If you won't do it for me, do it for Harry's mother."

Snape's eyes narrowed. "What does any of this have to do with _her_?"

McGonagall gave him a knowing look. "Harry and Ginny's daughter is the spitting image of Lily Evans Potter."

* * *

"Why didn't everyone else stay?"

Lily strolled along the cobblestone road with her parents, her mother's arm wrapped gently around her shoulders. Teddy and Maddy had both gone home with their parents, leaving Lily alone with her own parents to finish her school shopping. She hadn't understood why they were already finished, when the three families had been shopping together the entire time.

"All we have left to find is your wand and an animal, if you'd like one," Ginny told her daughter. "Maddy and Teddy already have their wands."

"Oh." Lily wondered when her cousin and friend had gone to get their wands. They hadn't mentioned anything about it before. "Where do we go to buy a wand?"

Harry nodded toward a small shop at the end of the row. "Ollivanders. It's where your mother and I both bought our first wands."

She studied the outside of the shop. It looked like it had seen better days. The gold lettering was peeling from above the door and little light shone through the window from within. To be honest, Lily was a bit apprehensive about going into such a place, but she figured if her mom and dad were willing to go in, it couldn't be all that bad.

Lily heard a bell tinkle as they entered the shop, though she didn't see a bell on the door or anywhere else. A single chair sat to one side, looking like it had been there for a few hundred years at least. The walls were covered, floor to ceiling, with narrow rectangular boxes. She looked back in front of her to see a small man appear. Lily thought he had to be at least a hundred, with large, round, pale eyes.

"Good afternoon," the man said.

"Good afternoon," Lily replied as her parents murmured their own greetings.

"Lily, this is Mr. Ollivander," Harry said, introducing her to the little old man.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Ollivander," she said at once.

Ollivander studied Lily with great interest, leaving the eleven-year-old feeling slightly uncomfortable. "Dear me, it's like I'm seeing a ghost," he said. "How can it be?"

Harry smiled at the man. "Mr. Ollivander, this is my daughter, Lily. She's starting at Hogwarts this year, and has come to purchase her first wand."

"Looking at her is like looking at your mother the day _she_ came to buy her first wand," Ollivander said, eyes still wand. "It's good to see you again, Mr. Potter. I trust all is well with your wand."

"Yes, indeed."

Ollivander turned back to Lily. "Holly, eleven inches, supple, with a single phoenix tail feather," he told the girl. "I remember every wand I've ever sold. Your father's wand is a special one, indeed. Your mother favored a hazel wand with a unicorn hair core, 10 and a half inches and springy. Well, I say she favored it, but it's really the other way around."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, feeling somewhat confused.

"You see, it's the wand that chooses the wizard. No two wands are alike, and you won't get the same results with just any wand. Which is your wand arm, my dear?"

She was right-handed, so Lily tentatively lifted her right arm. She watched in surprise as Ollivander began measuring her arm with a unique tape measure. Her surprise doubled when Ollivander walked off and the tape measure continued measuring different parts of her body on its own.

The man returned with a box and said, "That will do." The tape measure froze and dropped to the floor at once in a heap. Ollivander took a wand from the box and held it out to Lily. "Try this one, Miss Potter. Apple and unicorn hair, ten inches. A bit swishy. Give it a wave."

Lily took the wand and gave it a wave, but nothing happened, and Ollivander plucked it out of her hand immediately.

"How about this one. Hawthorn, dragon heartstring, nine and a quarter inches. Quite flexible."

She waved that one as well, but still nothing. Ollivander took it at once.

He gave her another wand, and another, and another. At times, Lily didn't even have a chance to wave the wand before he took it from her grasp. She was beginning to grow frustrated when he stopped and put a finger to his lips. "Hmmm."

Lily was about to ask what he meant by that 'hmm' when Ollivander walked to the shelf and retrieved another box.

"Let's try this one, shall we?" he suggested, offering her the wand. "Oak and phoenix feather, ten and a quarter inches. Nice and swishy."

Fully expecting another failure, Lily sighed and reached for the wand. The moment her fingers touched the wood, a feeling spread throughout her body that she couldn't explain. Her hand grasped the wand at once. Lily marveled at how _right_ that wand felt in her hand – like it was a long lost part of that hand. She gave it the slightest of waves and gasped as a brilliant light illuminated the room. It was brief, but it was enough. Lily knew, without a doubt, that this wand was _hers_.

"Wonderful!" Ollivander said with a pleased look on his face. "Phoenix feather wands are rare, Miss Potter. Oak and phoenix wands are even more so. I suspect there is more to you than meets the eye."

Lily wasn't sure of what to think of that, but it didn't seem that Ollivander or her parents expected a response from her, so she waited quietly as Ollivander took the wand and replaced it in the box, wrapping it with a tan colored paper. Then Harry paid for the wand and took the package, tucking it in a pocket in his robes.

Lily said thank you when her parents did and then the family exited the shop. "Well, one thing left to do," Harry said in a cheery voice. "Your supply list said you could bring an owl, a cat, or a toad. You don't have to, of course, but since it's allowed, would you like to?"

The young witch considered her options. She wasn't sure what she would do with a toad. From her time at Hogwarts, Lily had learned that owls were quite useful and were able to carry mail for you and such, but then again, Hogwarts had a whole owlery full of owls available for student use, so she could just borrow one of those if she needed to send a letter to anyone. While she hadn't had a cat growing up (her adoptive mother had been highly allergic to animals in general), her next door neighbor had two, and Lily had loved playing with them. She'd secretly always wanted a cat of her own, but until now she hadn't thought it possible.

"Can I have a cat?" she asked finally, looking hopefully from Harry to Ginny. "Please?"

"A cat it is," Harry said, and they made their way over to the Magical Menagerie.


	3. Fear and Uncertainty

Fear and Uncertainty

_She stared at their lifeless bodies in horror. She couldn't understand how or why it had happened, but there they were, sprawled out on the ground, dull eyes staring off into space._

_She ran over to them, falling to her knees. Her hands grasped them, shaking their bodies in desperation as she screamed out their names. Despite her efforts, they wouldn't wake._

_They were dead._

_She couldn't breathe. The air around her grew heavy and dim. Darkness began to close in around her like moving walls. She let out a strangled cry._

_Everything went black._

* * *

Lily sat straight up in bed. The tears in her eyes blurred her vision as sobs shook her body. It had felt so _real_… If she closed her eyes, Lily could still see her parents' bodies, still as stone… could feel their cold skin…

She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them while she let herself cry it out.

Part of her expected one of her parents to come bursting into the room, but they hadn't the past three nights when she'd awoken from the same dream. Lily wished she could crawl in bed with them, or at least wake them, but she was sure eleven-year-olds didn't do such things. She didn't want them to think she was a baby.

The sobs eventually subsided, but Lily wasn't about to go back to sleep and risk a repeat nightmare. It had happened the first night when she'd tried to go back to sleep, and she'd sat up in bed for hours afterwards to avoid a third nightmare in one night. Last night, she'd tried distracting herself by creeping downstairs and immersing herself in the library, but Harry had found her down there at 4 a.m. and had made her return to bed (though she'd managed to stay awake until breakfast, unbeknownst to either of her parents). Reaching over, she lifted a book off of her nightstand. A History of Magic. She'd been reading her new textbooks every chance she got ever since the trip to Diagon Alley. Reading would be the perfect distraction to keep her from drifting back to sleep, and staying in her room would hopefully keep her parents from insisting she return to sleep.

She scooted back against the headboard and opened the book, diving into the past.

Several hours later, sunlight began to peek in through the curtains. Lily glanced at the window and yawned. Her parents would be up soon, if they weren't already. She could go downstairs without attracting too much attention.

Her eyelids felt heavy from lack of sleep. Lily slipped on a robe and a pair of slippers and padded into the bathroom. She splashed some cold water on her face to wake it up more; then, she headed down to the kitchen.

Lily found her mother at the stove, frying a pan of bacon. Another pan held several pancakes, tiny bubbles forming on the surface. A plate of perfectly crisp bacon sat on the counter. Pancakes and bacon were Lily's favorite breakfast, and it was enough to temporarily take her mind off of the fact that she was exhausted. She moved quietly over to the counter and snatched a strip of bacon from the plate, catching Ginny's attention.

"Good morning, darling," Ginny said warmly, turning to offer her daughter a smile. That smile lasted all of two seconds before morphing into a frown. "Lily, you don't look so well. Are you feeling ill?"

Lily shook her head as she finished the bacon in a single bite. "I'm fine."

"Come, let me feel your head."

"Mum…" whined Lily.

Ginny waved her wand at the pans, and the utensils began to tend the food without direct supervision. Satisfied, she strode over to Lily, placing the back of her hand on the girl's forehead. "Hmm. You don't feel warm."

"I told you, Mum, I'm fine."

Lily hadn't seemed herself for days, Ginny thought, but she hadn't thought too much of it until this morning. If Lily wasn't ill, then Ginny figured it had to be a lack of sleep somehow, even though Lily had been going to sleep right at bedtime. "You have dark circles under your eyes, Lily, and your skin is pale. You are not fine. Sit down and have breakfast, and then you're going back to bed to rest."

A frown settled on Lily's face. "I don't want to go back to bed. I'm supposed to go to Teddy's house this morning," she protested as she sat at the wooden table.

Ginny set a plate of bacon and pancakes and a glass of orange juice in front of Lily. "I'll fire call Tonks and let her know you aren't feeling well. You can go another time."

"Mum, _no_! I want to go to Teddy's!"

"Not today, Lily. Eat your breakfast, please, so you can go rest."

Lily slammed her fist down on the table. "That's not fair!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. "I don't WANT to go back to bed! _I want to go to Teddy's!_"

Ginny stared at Lily in shock. Part of her was tempted to haul her child to her feet mid-tantrum and deliver a well placed swat to jolt her out of this fit, but another part of Ginny realized that it was more than just a mere tantrum. "What in Merlin's name is going on with you, Lily Luna?" she asked exasperatedly.

Lily didn't speak, though the tears continued to fall.

"Eat," Ginny told the girl calmly. "You need your breakfast. We'll talk about it after, all right?"

Sighing, Lily nodded in reluctant agreement. She wanted to tell her mom that she didn't want to talk about it, that she had to go see Teddy and that she didn't want or need to go back to bed, but her stomach was rumbling like nothing else and she didn't want to get sent to her room before she had a chance to eat something. She picked up her fork and stabbed a piece of pancake, bringing it to her mouth.

She ate in silence, staring at the table to avoid Ginny's piercing gaze. She knew her mother was trying to figure out what was going on, and she didn't want to talk about it. Well, that wasn't true. She _did_ want to talk about it, but she didn't want to hear them say she was being silly or childish. With the start of term less than a week away, Lily knew that all too soon she'd be at Hogwarts, and wouldn't be able to go to her parents' room in the middle of a night just because she had a bad dream. While she was excited about starting school and learning much more about magic, she was terrified of being alone again. If she'd been a few years older and rested enough for introspection, she might speculate that her dreams were a manifestation of her fears of losing her parents while at Hogwarts. It was a perfectly rational fear, after having lost one set of parents. Of course, sleep-deprived eleven-year-olds didn't think about such things.

Lily wanted to prolong breakfast as long as she possibly could, but hunger won out. Before she knew it, her plate was empty.

"All right," Ginny said, taking Lily's plate. "Up to bed with you."

"Wait!" exclaimed Lily. "You said we'd talk!"

Ginny put the plate and silverware in the sink and walked back over to her daughter. "We will, darling, after you're tucked in. Come on."

Lily shook her head emphatically. "No! I'm not going back to bed!"

"Yes you are, Lily," Ginny disagreed calmly. "Up you go, now."

This wasn't going well at _all_. Lily was determined not to go back to bed. It didn't matter how sleepy she felt. She didn't want to wake up once again thinking her parents were dead. "Wait, what if Teddy came over here instead?" she proposed, hoping perhaps her mother might agree.

"Perhaps after you sleep, if you're looking more rested," the elder witch allowed. "Enough stalling now. Go up to your room, please."

"No…" Lily protested, her eyes filling with tears. She knew it was childish to cry over having to go to bed, but sleep deprivation had taken a toll on her ability to reason.

Ginny sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Honestly, Lily, I don't know what the big deal is about going back to bed for a few hours, but it isn't up for debate and I am losing my patience. Upstairs _now_."

Lily shook her head as the tears spilled over her cheeks.

Harry entered the kitchen seconds later, freshly showered and dressed in his Ministry robes, to find Lily crying at the table and Ginny standing not two feet away, hands on her hips and a frustrated expression on her face. "What's going on?" he dared to ask.

"Look at her, Harry!" Ginny exclaimed, gesturing to their daughter. "She looks like the walking dead! She needs to go back to bed for a few hours at least, but she's refusing, and she won't say why."

The young father studied his daughter's face. Ginny was right, he thought – Lily appeared to be sleep deprived. He imagined it had something to do with her tears, but something told him there was more to it. When he looked into her eyes, he saw fear buried behind the obvious upset.

"Do you want to talk about it, Lily?" he asked gently.

Lily shook her head.

"All right," Harry conceded. "I have to agree with your mother, love. You need some sleep. You look like you haven't slept in days."

Lily shook her head so hard it made her dizzy. "No…" she cried. "I won't go back to bed!"

Harry held his hand out to Lily. "Come, love," he said, keeping his tone soothing. "Let's go upstairs."

"I don't want to…" she protested, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

"I know," Harry said with a nod. "Come on."

She shook her head again, this time with less force. "Please…" Lily pleaded. "Don't make me go to bed."

"You, your mum, and I will go upstairs and talk first."

"I don't want to talk."

Harry was glad that some of the fire within her had died down. Hopefully it was the first step in finding out what was wrong. "Well, Lily, we can talk about what's bothering you or I can just give you a sleeping draught so you can get the sleep you need," he told her, his voice calm but firm. He knew raising his voice wouldn't help, but he wanted it to be clear to Lily that those were her only two choices in the matter.

Lily didn't want a sleeping draught. She knew it would make her sleep, and then she'd just have another nightmare. She wanted to sit there and tell them no, that she wouldn't take the sleeping draught and that she wouldn't talk, but she knew she wouldn't win. Harry would carry her up the stairs and make her take the potion if need be, she was sure of it. A frown plastered on her face, she stood and slowly put her hand in his.

He gently pulled her to him and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Sharing a meaningful look with Ginny, Harry led Lily up to her room as Ginny followed closely behind.

"Climb in bed, and I'll be right back," he told her before leaving the room.

In spite of her fears, Lily slid her legs under the covers, scooting back against the headboard. She watched as Ginny sat on the edge of the bed beside her.

While she still didn't want to sleep (she was adamant about it, in fact), Lily felt a little bad about the way she'd yelled and thrown a fit down in the kitchen. "Mum, I'm sorry," she whispered, hoping Ginny wasn't too cross with her.

Reaching over, Ginny ran her fingers through Lily's hair. "I know. I'm not mad, Lily," she assured her daughter. "I just wish you would tell us what's bothering you. I have never seen you so upset about having to sleep, especially when I can see how tired you are."

Lily wiped at her eyes again and shook her head. "You'd think I'm a baby."

"I wouldn't think any such thing," Ginny disagreed firmly.

Harry reentered the room then, a small bottle in his hand. He watched as Lily took one look at it and covered her mouth with both hands, glaring at him through watery eyes. Harry fought not to chuckle at the indignant look on her face. "It's not a sleeping draught, Lily," he explained calmly, setting the bottle on the desk. He pulled the chair from the desk and set it next to the bed so he could sit. "Now, let's talk. Why don't you want to go to sleep?"

A dark ball of fur soared through the air and onto Lily's lap. She looked down to find her cat, Elladora, curled up on her thighs. Elladora purred, the deeper than usual sound hinting at her quarter-kneazle lineage, and stared up at Lily with bright green eyes. Sighing a little, Lily managed a smile as she stroked Elladora's long, silky midnight-colored fur. The vibration from the animal's purrs soothed Lily a bit.

"You'll think it's silly," Lily murmured, choosing to watch Elladora rather than meet her parents' eyes.

"I promise you, Lily, there's nothing silly about you being so tired that you look ill," Harry told her seriously. "Whatever you tell us, we won't think it's silly."

"I just don't want to."

"I see," Harry said quietly. "Suppose you tell us about the dreams you've been having, then."

Lily's head shot up in an instant and she stared at her father with wide eyes. "H-how did you know…?"

It had been a guess, but Harry had recognized the look of terror in Lily's eyes back in the kitchen. It was the same look he'd had sometimes after waking from a dream about Voldemort when he was a Hogwarts student. Her reaction only served to confirm his suspicions. "I thought you might be having bad dreams. It's the only reason I could come up with that would explain your aversion to sleep at the moment."

She couldn't argue his point. "It's just one dream," she admitted, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Ginny gently grasped one of Lily's hands and gave it a light squeeze. "How long have you been having this dream, darling?"

Lily shrugged. "Three nights."

Harry and Ginny shared a glance. It made perfect sense now. "Lily, why didn't you tell us? You could have come and woken us when you awoke from the dream."

"I didn't want you to think I was a baby."

Using her free hand, Ginny cupped Lily's chin, turning her head so she had no choice but to look at her. "I want you to listen to me, Lily Luna," she said in a quiet yet firm voice. "I will _never_ think you're a baby for having a nightmare, or for waking me at any time of the night as a result. Do you hear me?"

Lily nodded.

"Good. Now, what happens in the dream?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Lily objected.

"You might not want to, Lily, but you need to. Trust me, it'll help."

The eleven-year-old took several deep breaths while gathering the courage. "It's dim, and I'm lost. I keep trying to find my way out of where I am, and then I find you and dad, and you're… you're…"

"We're what, love?" prompted Harry.

Lily felt the moisture return to her eyes and she couldn't help but sniffle. "You're dead. And it starts to get darker and I feel like I can't breathe and… and…"

Just as Lily burst into tears, Ginny leaned forward and pulled her into her arms. "It's all right, Lily," Ginny murmured, alternating between rubbing the girl's back and stroking her head. She smiled to herself when Harry moved to sit almost behind Lily and joined in on the hug. "You're safe. We're all safe. It's just a dream."

It took Lily a minute to collect herself again. Once she had, she pulled back from her mother and wiped at her eyes. Already puffy from lack of sleep, her eyes positively felt like lid now from the added puffiness from crying. "I don't want to go back to sleep…" pleaded Lily. "Every time I go to sleep I have that dream."

"I can help with that," Harry told her. He stood and crossed the room to retrieve the bottle from the desk. "This is a calming draught," he explained, removing the lid and holding the bottle out to Lily. "It will help you feel better, and hopefully keep you from having that nightmare while you sleep."

"What if I still have the nightmare?"

"Then you call for me, Lily," Ginny said. "I'll be up here in an instant."

She was still hesitant to sleep, but she took the potion from her father's hand and drank it in one gulp. She'd tasted far better things, but she'd also tasted far worse. "You'll stay with me until I fall asleep?" Lily asked as she handed Harry the empty bottle.

"Of course. Lie down now and close your eyes."

Lily did as she was told and slid down under the covers until only her head was visible. Her eyes closed automatically, and she took calming breaths as she felt a hand brush the hair off her forehead.

She was asleep in a matter of seconds.

* * *

The afternoon of August 31, Lily found herself seated on her bedroom floor, placing clothes, school supplies, and other items into a large trunk. A comfortable carrier sat on the desk for Elladora, though the cat had already eyed the kitty kennel with a surprising (or, perhaps unsurprising) amount of disdain.

She couldn't believe that in the morning, she'd be traveling to King's Cross for the first time in her life to catch the train to Hogwarts. Maddy and Teddy were both excited, though Lily thought they were much more excited than she was. Since revealing her nightmare to her parents, Lily had managed to sleep through the night each night without having a bad dream, but what happened if the dream returned once she was away at Hogwarts? She wouldn't be able to go to her parents in the middle of the night, or even during the day, for that matter. She'd have to send a letter to them through owl post and wait for their reply.

As she tucked her school books into the trunk, she heard her mother enter the room. Ginny had been helping Lily pack, making sure that Lily had everything she needed. Glancing up, Lily saw a stack of freshly laundered school robes in Ginny's arms, a single, blank piece of aged parchment lying on top. Lily thought it odd, especially when she had a healthy supply of clean, fresh parchment already tucked in her truck, ready for assignments.

"Here are your school robes," Ginny said, setting the parchment aside on the bed and placing the robes neatly inside the trunk."

"Thank you, Mum," Lily replied politely. "Mum?"

"Yes?"

Lily pointed to the lone parchment. "What's that parchment for?"

Ginny retrieved the parchment and sat next to Lily on the floor with a smile. "This is a very special piece of parchment," she explained. "Your father and I have been discussing for days whether or not to let you take it to Hogwarts. It isn't of much use to him these days, and you'd certainly get more enjoyment out of it, but there are rules that go along with the privilege of bringing it with you to school."

"What does it do?" Lily asked, genuinely confused as to how this old bit of parchment could possibly be anything more than just parchment.

Retrieving her wand from her robes, Ginny tapped the parchment with the tip of the wand. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Lily watched in awe as a map appeared on the parchment. She saw a sprinkling of tiny dots – some moving about, some stationary. "What is that?"

"It's called the Marauder's Map. It's a map of Hogwarts," explained Ginny. "Your Grandpa Potter, Remus, and their two best friends created this map while they were at Hogwarts themselves. You can see anyone in the castle. This map has quite the history in your family – when your uncles George and Fred were at Hogwarts, they had the map for a while before they passed it onto your dad. Your father and I have decided to let you take the map with you, with the understanding that you are not to use it to break the rules. You're only in your first year and certainly don't need to find the mischief that your grandfather, uncles, and father all found during their years."

"What if I want to turn off the map? How do I do that?"

"Just tap the parchment and say, 'Mischief managed.'" Ginny demonstrated, and the map indeed disappeared so that only the blank bit of parchment remained.

"That is so cool!" marveled Lily. "Can I show Maddy and Teddy?"

Ginny nodded. "You can show Maddy and Teddy, but I wouldn't tell anyone else about the map. I hear that Mr. Filch is still the caretaker, and if he catches you with it, he'll confiscate it. Despite not having a practical use for the map, your father is rather fond of it and would be disappointed to lose it."

"I'll keep it safe," Lily promised.


End file.
